Fame and fortune, gold and glamor, fans and groupies, these things have been sought out by humans since the beginning of social constructs. Time hasn’t changed this idea either because every little kid with a camera in their phone is trying to make it big on TikTok so that they can acquire that sweet sweet influencer lifestyle. We’re now seeing such modern concepts float their way into anime, but I’m not sure if we’ve seen it depicted quite like the plot of Mayonaka Punch. Mayonaka Punch is a new original anime this season from P.A. Works. Based on the first episode, the narrative revolves around a former YouTuber who got kicked out of her trio for punching one of her fellow co-hosts on camera. Makes sense, I assume we’ll learn why she threw the punch later. But how do you think she plans to restore her reputation and build a fresh fanbase of people subbed to her solo channel?
Right now the plan is to record videos with a vampire she found in order to show the world a new species and reach one million subs. In exchange, once doing so she will invite the vampire to consume her blood entirely to the point of dying. What the fuck? Watching this anime I felt very on-rails and comprehended everything thrown at me until I realized that was the premise. Don’t get me wrong I’m not mad at it either, I actually think such an idea could fuel some funny scenarios as well as put some stakes on the line to keep the show interesting. Whether or not I have faith that the creators can execute such a wacky idea effectively is an entirely different point of discussion that I’ll boil down to “god I hope so”. The animators are certainly doing their job right so it’ll come down to whether or not the road to 1 million subscribers will stay captivating for twelve episodes straight.
Ah, the realistic response to being flown around.
While we’re here, are you the type that places a lot of value on fame? I don’t think I’d give up too much for a ton of subscribers or followers. I definitely wouldn’t offer up my body to a vampire (unless she’s hot and not gonna kill me, then this could be a win-win). From a financial standpoint I could probably be convinced to give up something crazy like my house, a kidney, or a leg, since if you play your cards right 1 million subs should keep your bank account stable from AdSense alone assuming a good portion will watch any decent video you post. But that may get more into “what would you sacrifice for financial security” rather than “what would you sacrifice for fame”. In other words I suppose I’m only interested in the financial safety net that fame provides, not fame itself for the sake of being known and having a lasting legacy on fans and the world.
Fame is a cruel mistress.
Damn that got deeper than expected outta nowhere for an anime about dying to a vampire for subs. In just another week or two it’ll be time to dish out some first impressions for this summer so I better stop yapping about this one. What anime have you checked out so far? Do you plan to try out Mayonaka Punch? Do you value fame enough to give something up for a ton of subs? Setup your camera, punch your co-host, and build a new channel on hard mode in the comments below!
